


The New Normal

by BoomerangChicken



Category: Dragon Ball, Dragon Ball Super: Broly
Genre: Action & Romance, Awkward Romance, Body Horror, Child Abuse, Childhood Trauma, Cuddling & Snuggling, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Emotions, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Found Family, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hurt/Comfort, Isolation, Loneliness, Male-Female Friendship, Nightmares, Paragus' A+ Parenting, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Trauma, Recovery, Saiyan Culture, Sexual Inexperience, Sharing a Bed, Violence, all the emotions, stunted emotional growth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-16
Updated: 2020-11-16
Packaged: 2021-02-01 06:10:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,759
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21411991
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BoomerangChicken/pseuds/BoomerangChicken
Summary: After a lifetime of isolation and loneliness, Broly attempts to adjust to his new life, and move past the pain of his old one.
Relationships: Android 18/Krillin (Dragon Ball), Brolly/Chirai (Dragon Ball), Broly/Cheelai, Bulma Briefs/Vegeta, Chi-Chi/Son Goku (Dragon Ball)
Comments: 41
Kudos: 104





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Shout out to A Necessary Evil by 30SecondGoat (It's a great Paragus character study) and The First by PearlsVaelMel (It's Broly/Cheelai.) Sadly, The First is unfinished and seemingly abandoned. But anyways! Have fun reading! I hope you enjoy it. (Also, the first half of the chapter takes place at the start of Dragon Ball Super: Broly. The second half takes place post-movie.)

Broly screamed.

He thrashed wildly as hands wrapped tight around his limbs, holding him suspended in the air.

"I thought you gave him the sedative!"

"I did!"

Broly managed to yank an arm free and drive his elbow into the gut of the Saiyan closest to him. A pained groan, and then the other hand turned loose.

Without the support on his arms, he fell to the floor.

Broly reached forward to the hands wrapped around his legs. He grabbed two fingers and bent them backwards. He felt the bones snap, and heard the scream of pain. The hands turned loose.

He got to his feet to run, but before he had the chance, a knee slammed into his back, driving him face-down into the floor. A heavy weight settled on his back. He couldn't move. He lashed out with his hands and feet.

"Somebody grab his tail!"

Hands wrapped around his ankles, ceasing their movement.

Fingers pulled on the tail curled around Broly's waist.

He struggled harder.

His tail was grabbed, and then squeezed.

Broly went still.

The room went quiet. 

"Where's the sedative? Give it to me."

Broly winced as he felt something sharp pierce his skin.

"That should do it. Give it a minute."

After a moment, Broly slowed his breathing, and let his eyes fall shut.

"Did it work?"

"I don't know. Check him."

A finger lifted his eyelid.

"Yeah, I think he's out."

"Then we need to-"

The hand gripped tight on Broly's tail loosed.

"No! Don't let go-"

Broly's eyes shot open. He bit down on the hand in front of his face. A scream shattered the silence as blood spilled into his mouth.

His tail was wrenched hard, and his body seized in pain. His jaw clamped down harder. The scream got louder.

They all started shouting again.

"Get him off! Get him off me!!"

"The sedative! Hit him again!"

Broly felt the sting of his skin being pierced for a second time. His vision became fuzzy, and his head felt light. Hands pryed open his jaw.

"That was enough sedative to put down three full-grown saiyans! And he's just a child! What is he?!"

"It's like we said, He's dangerous. That's the whole reason we're doing this. Orders from King Vegeta."

"Look at what he did to my hand!! You little bastard!!"

Broly gasped as a boot slammed into his ribs.

"That's enough! We're done. Put some gear on him, stick him in a pod, and get him out of here."

Broly's vision swam and flickered. He struggled to keep his eyes open. He heard one last word, spit out in disgust.

_"Freak."_

And then everything went black as a boot was driven into his skull.

* * *

Broly wakes in the pod. His head throbbed. Nausea sickened his stomach. The interior was bathed in red.

He loses consciousness.

* * *

The pod rattled and shook. Broly woke again just as it cratered into the ground.

The pod settled and stilled. It crackled with electricity, damaged. It let out a mechanical hiss as it opened.

His nose wrinkled up as the acrid, bitter smell of the air hit him.

His eyes squinting as bright light poured into the pod_._

His eyes opened wider as they adjusted.

The first thing he sees is the moon, hung in the sky. He stares at it.

His heart throbs violently. And again. And again. It beats wildly in his chest, feeling as if it's struggling to burst free.

He gasps for breath as agony shoots through him. He claws at the armor on his chest.

He curls in on himself as his vision tints red.

He can feel his bones breaking and reforming, reshaping. He can hear them snapping.

Blood fills his mouth as his teeth grow and burst through his gums. His jaw dislocates.

An agonized scream tears its way out of his throat as he transforms.

He can hear someone speaking. A voice, cutting through the roar in his head, saying his name.

_"Broly!"_

* * *

His whole body jerks up as he comes awake.

Cheelai stumbles backwards, startled.

"Whoa! Easy!"

Sweat pours off his body as he trembles and gasps for breath. His heart thuds painfully as he grasps at his chest.

He can feel the cold, hard ground beneath him. That particular, unmistakable smell. He's in the cave on Vampa. He's home.

It's dark, and cold. Sometime in the night.

Cheelai lowers to the ground next to him. She reaches out to touch his shoulder cautiously.

He feels her small hand on him.

"Hey. You alright?"

He doesn't answer. She tries again.

"Bad dream, huh?"

She doesn't expect him to answer. It takes a moment, but he does.

"Bad memories."

Cheelai's face contorts in sympathy. She rubs her hand over his arm.

"You want to talk about it?"

His silence is answer enough.

"Okay, that's fine."

His breathing calms.

The near complete silence in the cave is practically defeaning.

Her hand stills on his arm. She brings it back awkwardly. She looks away, towards the mouth of the cave. His voice startles her, and she turns back to look at him.

"I am sorry."

Her face draws up in confusion.

"Uhhhh. What for?"

He lifts his head to look at her

"For waking you."

She shakes her hands back and forth.

"Oh! For that. Nah, don't worry about it. I'm a light-sleeper, anyways."

That was a lie. She was in fact a very deep sleeper, and had been practically comatose right up until his blood-curdling scream shocked her into consciousness. She had run outside, as fast as she could. Still in her thin, not very warm sleep clothes. 

She shivered and wrapped her arms around herself.

"Look, it's pretty much freezing out here. How about you come inside the house? I know you said you didn't want to sleep in there, but it's warm. And the beds may not be great, but I'm positive they're better than the ground out here."

Broly shook his head.

"I am used to it."

Her face fell.

"Well. Okay, then. I guess."

She rocked on her feet for a moment, debating what to do. Then she stood up.

"If you change your mind, let me know."

Broly nodded.

Cheelai sighed and started walking back to the capsule house.

She stopped and turned as she got to the door. She opened her mouth to speak. No words came out. 

He watched her patiently.

She closed her mouth and shook her head.

"Nevermind. Sleep well."

She smiled at him.

He returned it, smaller, but no less genuine.

She opened the door and stepped inside. The door closed behind her.

He let out a breath. Moved himself to sit up against the wall of the cave. A few minutes passed as he sat in the dark and cold, still and quiet of the cave. Exhaustion consumed him. His eyes slid closed against his will.

Bloody screams and broken bones flashed in his head. His eyes snapped open. He dug his fingers painfully into his leg. His eyes stayed open.

He stared at the door.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm sorry it took so long to get this chapter out! *hides in box of shame*  
By the way, this chapter picks up the morning after the end of the first one. I hope you enjoy!

The boot nudging at his shoulder woke him. His eyes cracked open blearily. His father, standing above him. He was barely visible in the dark of early morning.

"Get up. We're training later, and you need your strength."

His father pressed a hunk of meat into his hands before he turned and walked away. Broly took a bite and watched the retreating back of his father. The meat was cold, and bitter. It left a foul taste in his mouth, even once he'd swallowed it.

It was time to begin the day.

* * *

The smell of food hit his nose. His eyes cracked open. Daylight blazed through the mouth of the cave.

He sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

  
The smell of food was coming from inside the house.

Broly stood up.

* * *

Lemo hummed to himself as he moved around the small kitchen area, preparing breakfast. Stirring and flipping, seasoning.

He stilled, his head turning left and right as he patted the pockets on the apron he was wearing. He turned around and slammed into a wall of muscle. He let out a high-pitched shriek as he startled backwards.

"Agh! I told you to quit sneaking up on me like that. Announce yourself when you walk in a room, please."

"I am sorry."

Lemo shook it off and snagged the item he was searching for off the counter before he turned back around to focus on the food. "Ah, it's okay. You've got good timing. Breakfast is almost ready. Go on, have a seat."

Broly pulled out a chair at the small dining table and sat to watch Lemo as he dutifully prepared their meal.

"So, did you get a good night's sleep?"

_Fingers bent backwards, jaw dislocating, bloody screams_

Broly shifted his eyes away from Lemo as he lied. "Yes."

The sound of a door creaking open caught both of their attentions.

Cheelai rubbed at her eyes as she shuffled out of the bedroom, her hair sticking up in many different directions. She moved past Lemo slowly but intently, with half-open eyes, straight to the coffee pot.

"You know, ever since you got your hands on that stuff, you haven't gone one morning without it. I'm starting to think it's addictive."

Cheelai didn't take her eyes off the filling cup when she replied.

"I can stop anytime I want. This is a choice."

Lemo's disbelieving snort disagreed.

She picked it up and inhaled the aroma, closing her eyes as she took the first sip.

She shuffled over to sit at the table.

Lemo brought three plates to the table. The moment Broly's plate was in front of him, he grabbed up a handful and stuffed it in his mouth.

Cheelai's voice stopped him.

"Dude. Look, I realize, considering how and where you grew up, that your food running away from you may have been a legitimate issue for you. But that stuff on the plate isn't going anywhere, it's dead. So, take your time, savor it. And take smaller bites, before you choke to death."

Broly stared at her for a moment, mouth full and cheeks distended. Then he spit the food out, back onto the plate. He picked up a smaller, partially chewed up bite and put it in his mouth.

Cheelai's eyes went wide, and her face wrinkled in disgust. She rubbed at the bridge of her nose. "Ughh, it's too early for regurgitation."

Lemo let out a little chuckle, and Cheelai glared at him.

Broly spaced out, watching them bicker. He picked up another piece of food and chewed it thoughtfully. A nice feeling settled in his chest. He didn't know why, but something about this moment felt...so peaceful. He wished it could stay this way forever, but the sharp spike of fear at the back of his neck said that it wouldn't last.

He was drawn out of his thoughts as Cheelai stood up from the table.

"I'm not ready to eat yet. I feel disgusting, and I'm going to take a shower. Don't burn the house down while I'm busy."

Lemo grinned up at her. "We'll try our best."

Cheelai rolled her eyes and groaned. "That's not a very confidence-inspiring answer...."

* * *

Broly flipped through one of Cheelai's magazine's, still sat at the table. The words didn't make much sense, but the pictures were intriguing.

Filled with strange looking places, packed with people wearing odd clothes, doing even stranger activities. It was quite bizarre. 

Then he felt it.

Broly stilled.

Lemo noticed from his place at the sink as he washed dishes. "What is it?"

Broly looked to the door as he spoke.

"Kakarot."

Broly rose to his feet and opened the door.

Kakarot stood on the other side, fist raised to knock. He grinned brightly. "Ready to train?"

* * *

Broly looked back over his shoulder. The cave was barely visible from here. They'd moved to a flat spot where nothing was in danger of getting damaged. He turned back around at the sound of Kakarot's voice. Kakarot stretched as he spoke.

"Okay, today we're going to be working on your defense. So, I want you to raise your power. Take it as high as you can go without losing control."

Broly shut his eyes and squared his shoulders as he did as he was asked.

Goku watched him as his energy rose and levelled out.

"Good. You alright?"

Broly breathed out and opened his eyes.

"I am ready."

Goku shook out his hands.

"Awesome. Let's start."

He stepped up to Broly.

Broly caught the first punch easily.

The second one rattled his arm.

A kick aimed at his head was blocked by his forearm.

The second kick slipped through his guard. Goku's boot hovered in front of Broly's chest, then lightly tapped him.

"Hit."

Goku feinted with a right and followed through with an uppercut.

His fist was stopped inches from Broly's chin.

"Hit."

Goku leapt over Broly's head and landed behind him. His elbow bumped into his back.

Broly heard the chuckle before Goku spoke.

"Hit."

Goku saw Broly's frustrated shrug as he took his place in front of him.

"It's fine. That's why we're working on this, so you'll get better. Alright. We go again."

Goku dropped into stance. He jumped forward and drew back his arm to strike. He lashed forward with a front kick.

Broly grabbed his ankle before it could connect. He held it suspended in the air.

Goku hopped on one leg.

"Okay! Okay. I get it. Not bad."

He moved backwards after Broly released his hold.

Goku rushed forward. His arm was drawn back to strike again, but at the last second he spun.

There was a crunch as Goku's elbow was driven into Broly's nose.

Goku winced when he felt it.

Broly staggered backwards.

"Oh! Darn, sorry! I thought you were going to block it."

Broly held his hand over his face.

Goku stepped forward and leaned in close.

"Are you alright?"

Blood pooled in Broly's hand.

Goku felt the power spike the moment Broly's eyes shot open.

His irises had turned yellow.

"Uh o-"

Goku was launched backwards as Broly's boot slammed into his stomach.

He tumbled end over end along the ground before he finally slid to a stop.

Goku gasped for breathe as he clutched at his stomach.

Broly leapt into the air.

Goku rolled out of the way just before Broly's knee shattered the ground where his head was moments ago.

Goku rolled to his feet.

"Calm down, Broly! I know you don't really want to hurt me."

Broly bared his teeth and growled as he pressed his palms to the ground. The stone beneath him cracked as he shot forward.

Goku jumped into the air, spinning out as Broly clipped his legs.

Broly smashed through a rock wall.

Goku slammed into the ground.

"Ugh. Maybe he really does want to hurt me."

Rubble was sent flying as Broly blasted back through stone.

Goku took off into the air.

Broly followed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, so sorry it took me months to get this chapter out. I promise to try my best to get the next one out sooner. To all the people who left comments and kudos on the first chapter, Thank you so much!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I did it! I finally got an update out in a reasonable amount of time! Yes! Thank you so much to everyone who left kudos and comments last chapter, your awesome words were what motivated me to get this chapter finished. By the way, this chapter opens in a flashback, then picks up where last chapter left off.

Broly gasped as a fist was driven into his gut, the pain dropping him to his knees.

He curled in on himself for a moment, wincing.

Paragus stood a few feet away, still in stance, waiting for Broly's counter.

Broly managed to get back to his feet, readying himself to attack. But he stopped as his father spoke.

"Alright, that's enough training for today. It'll be getting dark soon. It's time to head back."

Paragus turned around and walked off before he'd even finished speaking, and Broly jogged along to catch up with him.

Broly's fingers came away soaked with sweat after he dragged them across his forehead.

As they walked back towards the cave, Broly took notice of the height difference between he and his father.

He had grown some since they'd arrived on Vampa, but not much, and his father still towered over him.

"Did I do well in training today, father?"

Paragus watched Broly out of the corner of his eye as he responded.

"Yes, you did well. Though you still have much to learn."

Broly nodded, but he was distracted a moment later by a distant roar. He slowed his pace and looked over his shoulder. One of the green creatures that inhabited Vampa had emerged from its pit in the ground, blood red eyes tracking them closely, even from a distance.

He only looked away from it at the sound of his father's voice ahead of him.

"We need to be back inside the cave before sunset. No dawdling."

"Yes, father."

* * *

Broly watched the sky through the cave entrance, seeing it's glow dimming as the sun slowly disappeared over the horizon.

His father spoke from behind him.

"It's time to sleep, son. You need your rest, we'll be training again tomorrow."

Broly turned to see his father had already laid down, settled in to his spot on the ground.

He followed suit and sat down near Paragus.

He took one last look at the sky before he stretched and flattened out as well.

He inched forward, closer to the older saiyan, tail curling around his belly and his eyes closing as sleep took him.

* * *

Noise pierced the haze of unconsciousness, as Paragus woke slowly. His eyes cracked open, then snapped wide.

A creature at the mouth of the cave, one of the six-legged bloodsuckers, making its way inside.

His heart beat rapidly in his chest, as shock and fear gripped him, stilling his body, though only for a moment.

He leapt to his feet and shot forward, his fist drawing back, putting as much power as he could into his first strike.

He drove his knuckles straight into the face of the creature, stunning it.

He dropped out of the air, rushing underneath the creature the moment his boots hit the ground.

He pushed at its underside, forcing it backwards out of the cave.

'I have to get it out of the cave! I can't fight it in here.'

He struggled as the Vampa Beetle began pushing back, its legs darting under itself, striking at Paragus.

One found its mark, slamming into his ribs, Paragus screaming as his bones were broken.

It was then that Broly woke, Paragus hearing his worried shout.

"Father!"

"No, stay back, Broly! Stay inside the cave!!"

With one last big push, he shoved the creature backwards out of the cave.

Now out in the open, Paragus cast his eyes to the sky, looking desperately for the moon, but before he could lock eyes on it, the beetle attacked, a leg swiping at Paragus and knocking him away, thudding to the ground.

"Father!"

Paragus looked up to see Broly standing at the cave mouth.

"Get back inside, Broly! Right now!"

Paragus was distracted for only a second, but that was all it took for the creature to slam one of its legs down on him, pinning him to the ground.

Paragus hollered out as pressure was put on his broken rib, his spine itself protesting at the massive weight on him.

The creature's jaws opened wide, preparing to fire it's tongue.

Broly launched forward and slammed into one of the creature's legs, bending it unnaturally.

It roared in pain, another leg striking at Broly. It came down on him hard, flattening him to the ground and holding him there.

He struggled against it, but it wouldn't budge an inch.

Sound flooded his ears. Hissing and chittering, his father's screaming, his heart beating quickly as fear and adrenaline coursed through him.

He pushed at the appendage holding him down with everything he had, but it didn't move. As he fought and struggled to free himself, something bright in the sky caught his attention.

The moon.

He stared at it for just a moment too long. And then everything went quiet, and his heart seemed to still.

Then it throbbed.

And again.

And again.

His vision flooded red.

His bones cracked and snapped, growing, changing.

Every single nerve in his body screamed pain.

His mind became a wasteland as he was swallowed up by the beast inside.

Paragus watched as his son changed, Broly trembling in agony as he transformed.

His body swelled and grew, fur beginning to cover every inch of his skin.

The creature holding them down started to skitter backwards, but it's leg was caught in a tight grip, squeezing and crushing.

It roared in pain and launched its sharp tongue, but the ape snatched it out of the air before it could find its mark.

With a teeth-bearing growl, the ape yanked and ripped the creature's tongue out of its mouth, a geyser of yellow blood following.

The ape stood, with its hand having grown to surround the body of the beetle, it now gripped tightly in his palm, squirming and struggling.

He brought it to his mouth, and his jaws clamped down around the creature's head, teeth piercing into it and severing it from the body.

The body in the ape's hand went limp and still.

His fingers loosened and its corpse smashed to the ground.

It's head rolled along the ground after having been spat out.

The ape roared into the sky, yellow blood dripping off his jaw.

Paragus staggered to his feet, moving as fast as he was able to, straight towards the cave entrance.

A giant fist crushed the ground in front of him, knocking him backwards.

As he looked up, a massive ape silhouette was the only thing visible in the dark, moon lit night, red eyes staring at him with no hint of recognition.

"Broly! No, it's your father! You don't know what you're doing, son! Stop! Broly!!"

The ape roared and drove his fist into its target.

* * *

Goku sped through the air, twisting and turning to avoid the enraged saiyan eager to tear him to pieces.

He felt Broly gaining on him, fast.

'I can't transform. No matter how high I take my power, he'll match it. I don't want to escalate this. Super Saiyan or Blue isn't an option here.'

A hand swiped at Goku's boot.

"Kaioken!"

Goku rocketed forward as he was enveloped in red.

He felt the rush of Kaioken in his muscles, felt it burn through his blood.

The landscape flashed by him in a blur. He looked over his shoulder before he slowed to a stop.

'He wasn't able to keep up. I don't have much time, though.'

He lowered to the ground, slipping into a rock crevice, hidden.

'if he can't see me, maybe he'll calm down. He's still getting the hang of detecting energy signatures. As long as I keep my power low and stay hidden, I should be alright.'

He felt Broly's power closing in. He couldn't see him from his hiding spot, but he was close.

He couldn't hear him, either.

The only thing Goku could hear was his own breathing, and the beat of his heart.

Everything seemed quiet.

Then he noticed the green glow.

The ground shook as a ki blast detonated.

Then another.

Goku leapt into the air just before the rocks came crashing down around him.

He spun around, searching for Broly.

'Where'd he go?! I can't see hi-'

Broly's arm smashed into the back of his head, knocking him to the ground.

Goku scrambled to his feet, dodging backwards to avoid the boot aimed at his head.

Broly slid to a stop and whirled on him. He lunged forward.

Goku jumped and rolled over his back.

Broly dug his feet into the ground and reversed momentum fast, slamming his elbow into the earth saiyan's head.

The shot rocked Goku, and he stumbled backwards.

Broly rushed him.

Goku leapt up and rammed his knee into Broly's jaw as he closed in, stopping him in his tracks.

Goku followed up with a punch, but his fist was caught. Broly responded with a strike of his own, sending Goku backwards.

Broly charged him again, Goku sprinting forward and dropping to his back and sliding for the gap in between Broly's legs.

He was jerked to a stop suddenly, Broly's hands gripping his shirt tightly.

Broly raised him into the air and slammed him down.

Goku gasped as the breath was knocked out of him.

He jerked his head to the side as Broly's boot crushed the ground where his had been.

Goku threw an arm up, an energy blast charging.

Broly stomped his arm into the ground before Goku could fire it.

Broly's hand glowed green as he charged his own blast. It formed in his palm, close enough that Goku could feel the heat off of it on his face.

'If I get hit with a blast that strong up close, it'll do serious damage.'

"Broly! You have to stop! This isn't you."

The look in Broly's eyes didn't change. Wild. Ruthless.

Goku barely noticed the two small energy signatures as they closed in.

"Broly!!"

Broly turned to look as Cheelai's voice cut through the haze of his rage.

'Cheelai and Lemo. What are they doing here?'

'They...they look...upset. Why?'

"Broly, stop it. That's enough."

'What? I don't....'

The haze cleared slowly.

Kakarot was bloody underneath him.

Broly stumbled backwards, the ki blast in his hand dissipating.

'No! No. What did I do?'

He turned away from them as he dropped to his knees. He cradled his head in his hands as he curled in on himself.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to. I won't do it again. Please don't."

He felt Cheelai's hand on his shoulder as she spoke.

"It's alright. Everything's okay. I promise."

His eyes closed as he shook his head.

"I'm sorry."

* * *

It was starting to get cold. Once the sun began to set, it didn't take long for the temperature to drop. 

He was lost in thought, so much so that he barely noticed Kakarot's approach. 

"Hey."

He stepped closer with an awkward chuckle.

"I just wanted to let you know, don't feel bad about earlier. It wasn't your fault. It's mine."

Broly stared forward as he answered.

"I am the one who lost control. I am the one who attacked you. It is my fault."

"No, it's not. I pushed you too hard, and I should've known better. It's not your fault, Broly."

Broly spoke quietly.

"Will you...forgive me?"

Goku spoke warmly.

"There's nothing to forgive."

Broly flinched as Goku's hand clapped down on his shoulder.

"I gotta get going. I'll be back soon, though. With more supplies."

He flashed his typical grin and threw his hand up in a wave before he put his fingers to his forehead, vanishing from sight a moment later.

Broly gazed into the distance, hands gripped tightly on Ba's ear.

* * *

His cheek was pressed into the dirt, and the sun beat down on his back.

His heart beat slowly, feeling ragged and worn out as it always did after the transformation.

His eyelids felt like stone as he fought to lift them.

He winced when his eyes did open, everything too bright.

When his vision finally adjusted, he saw the destruction.

Rubble and debris everywhere in sight, Vampa bug corpses littering the ground in every direction.

He pushed himself to his knees.

'Where...where is father...'

His throat ached as he called out.

"Father!"

His heart sped up as nothing but silence answered his shout.

He managed to get to his feet, stumbling forward.

His eyes moved over the ground, stained with yellow blood.

Then he saw it, a splash of red amongst the yellow.

'No...'

He followed the trail, picking up his pace as he saw more and more crimson.

'No...no...'

His heart seemed to stop in his chest as his father's bloodied body came into sight.

'No! No!'

He broke into a run, legs feeling like they would give out any second now.

He dropped to his knees beside Paragus, hands reaching out carefully to touch him.

"Father? Father, please wake up."

He stayed quiet and motionless, his chest the only thing on him moving, ever so slightly.

Broly's hands gripped tight on his father's armor as he shook him.

"No, wake up! Wake up!"

Tears wet his cheeks.

He cried for a moment, as helplessness overwhelmed him.

'What do I do? What do I do?!'

The bugs were scarcer in the daytime, but some still roamed, and if one found them as they were now, they'd become a meal.

'I...i have to get him somewhere safe.'

Broly wiped at his eyes, giving a searching look in each direction, attempting to get his bearings.

They'd ended up quite a ways from the cave, and it would be a hard journey back there.

Broly stood, and pulled at his father's armor to lift him, bending down to shift Paragus onto his back.

He was heavy, and Broly was weakened, but he had no other choice.

He struggled forward, moving slowly.

* * *

Sweat dripped into Broly's eyes as he stepped through a cave opening, barely keeping Paragus from slipping off his shoulders as he stumbled forward.

It wasn't the cave they'd been staying in, and it wasn't as large, but it would do for now. Staying out in the open was too dangerous.

Broly bent and laid down his father as gently as he was able to, then collapsed to the ground himself.

* * *

He watched after Paragus for days, listening intently to the older saiyan's weakened heartbeat and wheezing breaths.

They were the only sounds he had heard in days, and the silence had become deafening. 

He began to wonder if his father would ever wake again.

* * *

Broly wiggled his toes into the dirt as he watched the cave entrance.

The sun would be going down soon. He couldn't see it setting slowly across the sky as he could in the previous cave they'd stayed in, but he could see enough to know when it began its descent.

His father's breathing shifted. A loud, hacking cough broke the days long silence in the cave.

Broly jumped to his feet and rushed to the older saiyan's side.

"Father!"

Paragus' eyes focused on Broly, watching him with conflicting emotions.

"Son...what happened?"

"I don't know. I woke up out in the open, and you were hurt. I carried you here."

Broly's voice wavered as he spoke.

"I...thought you would die, father."

Paragus kept his gaze on his son, eyeing him closely.

"Of course not. I won't let myself die before we've had our vengeance."

Paragus raised up slowly, bringing himself to a sitting position.

"And i wouldn't leave you all alone, my son."

He opened his arms.

"Its alright. Come here."

Broly's eyes widened, shocked. He hesitated for a moment before he inched forward into his father's arms, closing around his shoulders in embrace.

"You did well, my son. You did well."

Broly gave a small smile into Paragus' armor.

"And so, for this, i am sorry."

Broly's body seized up in pain as his tail was squeezed tightly.

"You nearly killed me, in that monstrous ape form. You cannot control it, and I don't believe you can be taught how to. It is a transformation far too dangerous for you to have."

Paragus grabbed the blaster hooked at his side.

Broly fought to move his body, paralyzed with pain.

"No, please. Don't. I...i'm sorry, father. Please!"

The barrel of the blaster was placed at the base of his tail.

"It's alright, son.....It isn't your fault."

The blaster fired.

Broly's agonized scream pierced the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this might be my messiest chapter yet, but I did have some rough life stuff happen while I was writing it, so, that was distracting. I'm hoping to get the next chapter out in a similar timeframe to this one. I hope y'all enjoyed reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! I'm so sorry it took me months to get this chapter written...but hey! It's the one year anniversary of me posting the first chapter of The New Normal! I hope you enjoy chapter 4!

Broly laid on his side, attempting to sleep fitfully.

He stared at the wall of rock in front of him, fingers reaching out to trace its jagged edges.

He could hear his father moving around on the other side of the cave, as he had been for a while.

Paragus had left earlier in the day, leaving at first light and not returning until almost nightfall.

_"I'm going to retrieve something from my old ship. There's no reason for you to come along, so stay here." _

Broly wasn't sure what it was his father had brought back, but it must've been important for him to make the journey to get it.

Broly flinched as unnaturally bright light lit up the cave suddenly, the walls practically glowing from it, a loud crackling noise filling his ears.

He turned over and sat up quickly, eyes landing on his father.

Paragus had something in his hand, small and metallic, but what caught Broly's attention was the source of the light and noise.

Whatever it was father had brought back from the ship, it was sat on the ground, consumed in lightning, electricity arcing around it and leaving burn marks on the stone near it.

And then just as suddenly, it stopped.

His father's eyes were locked on the device intently, expression unreadable.

"Father? What is happening?"

Paragus stepped forward, picking up the device off the ground.

He turned to look at Broly, moving towards him, voice ringing out in the quiet of the cave.

"When you lost control before, I always grabbed your tail to stop you, before you hurt yourself or me."

Broly inched backwards, not able to move far until his back hit the wall.

Paragus' voice quieted, speaking lower as he moved closer.

"But now....that isn't an option anymore."

Broly thought of the spot where his tail had been, and he thought of the unbearable agony he'd felt when it was severed.

Paragus settled into a crouch in front of Broly, the metal collar gripped tightly in his hand.

"So now, I need a new way to ensure that if you lose control, I can stop you."

The collar opened with a click, Paragus' hands closing on Broly's throat as he began to put it on.

Broly jerked his head away with a whine, hands pressed to the ground, his back digging into the jagged stone as he tried to move further back.

Paragus' voice raised again, steel in his tone.

_"Broly,_ listen to me. This is for both of our sakes. And this collar _is going on__. _Now stay still."

Broly winced as the cold steel touched his skin, collar clicking as it snapped into place around his neck.

Paragus stood, hand settled on the remote container hooked to his side.

Broly reached up to the collar around his throat, fingers moving over the metal.

  
  


"I'll only use it if I absolutely have to. There's no need for you to worry, son."

Broly fingers curled around the collar, pulling at it uselessly, only succeeding at digging it tighter into his neck.

"Now get some sleep. Tomorrow, we train."

Paragus walked to the other side of the cave, pulling off his armor before settling down on the ground.

Broly yanked at the collar with a whimper, hands falling tiredly at his sides.

He stared at his father's back, feeling the metal secured on his neck, the spot where his tail used to be throbbing and aching.

Broly's fists clenched.

* * *

Broly stood just outside the mouth of the cave, watching from a distance as a horde of vampa beetles hissed at each other and jostled for position, preparing to feed on their sleeping prey, nestled into its pit. 

The barren surface of Vampa was lit only by the moon, and Broly made sure his eyes carefully avoided the sky.

Even though his tail was gone, nights like this, when the moon was full and bright in the sky, were the hardest. The moonlight set his teeth on edge, and brought back painful memories with it. 

He turned to look over his shoulder at the sound of Cheelai's approach. 

She was still unused to the harsh cold of the nights on Vampa, and she'd wrapped a large coat around herself before she stepped outside, looking for Broly. It was several sizes too big, and practically swallowed her.

Her voice came out thick with sleep as she spoke. 

"Hey. What are you doing out here?"

Broly matched her quiet tone as he replied, pointing towards the feasting vampa beetles.

"Watching."

Her eyes followed the direction of his finger and took notice of the creatures, barely able to see them in the darkness.

A sleep-addled smirk came to her lips. 

"Oh. So, heh, you uh, like to watch?"

Broly's eyebrows furrowed and a confused hum left his throat.

"I mean, uhh, you wouldn't ge- never mind."

She cleared her throat awkwardly, and Broly's eyes went back to the bloodsuckers. 

"So. Lemo and I haven't seen you a lot recently. It's almost like...you're avoiding us or something."

Broly's shoulders tightened up, and his eyes stayed rigidly staring straight ahead.

Cheelai fought the urge to roll her eyes.

'Even without speaking, he's a terrible liar...'

"Is what happened a couple of weeks ago with Kakarot, Goku, whatever the hell his name is, still bothering you?"

He stayed stubbornly silent, and Cheelai saw his fingers rubbing into Baa's fur at his waist, a nervous habit of his she'd noticed. 

"What happened wasn't your fault, Broly. We know, all of us, that you would never hurt your friends on purpose."

Broly's fingers dug deeper into Baa's fur. 

"It does not matter...if it is on purpose...or not."

Cheelai let out a sad sigh. 

"Broly..."

His jaw clenched and he seemed to tighten even further in on himself.

"I..._I killed my father. _I don't want to feel that feeling, that awful feeling that I've hurt someone i care about, ever again."

Cheelai could hear the pain in his voice as he spoke, and she felt almost hesitant to speak and break the quiet atmosphere between them. 

"You have to learn to start trusting yourself, Broly."

Broly didn't react or reply, and she dug the heel of her boot into the dirt, looking down at the ground in between them and searching for the right words to say. 

She looked up, taking in the sight of his tall silhouette in the moonlight. 

"Do you trust me?"

He finally turned to look at her then, answering without hesitation.

"Yes."

Cheelai reached out, offering her hand.

"Then _trust me._"

He lifted his hand slowly, placing it on top of hers gently.

Her fingers curled around his, and she started walking back into the cave, tugging at his hand.

Broly stepped forward with her.

* * *

Broly stared down at one of the two beds in Cheelai's room.

She slid the several-sizes-too-large coat off, tossing it to the other side of the small room. 

"So, the extra bed is in here, obviously, but uh, we can get it moved into your own room tomorrow, if you want."

Broly nodded slightly, head turning and eyes searching as he looked over the interior of the capsule house.

She shook out her freezing fingers, trying to keep her mind off the fact that only one of her hands was really cold, the hand he'd held was...so warm. 

Cheelai took a deep breath and settled into her own bed. 

Broly's eyes finally settled, watching as she got into bed. He followed suit, laying down onto his own bed awkwardly. 

He laid flat on his back, staring up at the ceiling.

The unusual feeling of his weight sinking into the soft mattress urged him to adjust position, and he flipped onto his side. 

Cheelai had closed her eyes, laid down and facing towards Broly. 

His eyes roved over her soft features, the swell of her chest rising gently and falling as she faded to sleep. 

Broly shook his head and rolled over, facing the wall. 

He could still see her image, like the phantom burn of the sun in your eyes after you look away.

Broly's mind raced as he laid there, trying desperately to quiet his mind, but failing.

'What if you lose control again? You could hurt them. You shouldn't be near them. We're not supposed to be in he-'

Cheelai's arms curled around him from behind.

"I could practically hear you thinking from over there, and your body is as stiff as stone. You gotta relax, man..."

His thoughts had stopped suddenly, save for the one now ringing out in his head.

'Her skin is as soft as it looks...'

Cheelai's breath tickled the back of his neck from her position behind him. 

"And uh, these beds are kinda small, so, I hope you don't mind being little spoon, big guy..."

His voice felt like he might let out a croak as he spoke, and he wasn't sure why.

"I...don't mind."

She hummed quietly, happily.

"Good."

Broly thought of that word and the way she'd said it a few times, turning it over in his mind.

He still struggled with words sometimes. Some words could mean more than others, though only sometimes, depending on how they were used. Sometimes people spoke little and said much, and sometimes people spoke a lot and said nothing. 

It was confusing.

He stared ahead at the blank white wall in the dark, trying not to think of the softness of her skin on his and how much he liked it.

He listened to the silence closely, waiting for her to speak again and wondering if there was something else he should say. 

Then he heard her quietly snoring. 

His lips curled into a gentle smile all on their own, and his mind calmed and quieted at the sound of her deeply asleep. 

He slowly took in all of the sensations around him, the softness of the bed, of her skin as her arms were wrapped around him.

Broly let his eyes close gently as his feelings of worry and panic faded away, and he came to a realization as sleep took him.

'I feel safe in her arms...'

* * *

Broly woke slowly, with the brightness of the morning sunlight tempting his eyes open.

He expected to see the jagged rocks of the cave as his eyes cracked open, but he was greeted with the pale white of the capsule house ceiling instead.

There was a weight on top of him.

He looked down, memories from the previous night rushing back into his brain.

A head of white messy hair was laid on his chest, and the green of Cheelai's skin stood out against his own, her arm and leg draped over him.

He shifted slightly, feeling the urge to stretch.

Cheelai moved with the motion, nuzzling into him.

Broly froze, eyes widening.

She slid her fingers over his skin as she woke, before her hand stopped suddenly.

She squeezed, pressing down gently to confirm that the object she was laying on was not her bed, or any bed at all, but rather, a person.

Her eyes shot open, and she looked up.

"Broly."

"...Hello."

She felt conflicting urges in that moment. On the one hand, she wanted to leap out of bed and sprint out of the room before this already awkward situation became so very much worse.

On the other hand, she was _greatly_ enjoying the feel of him underneath her.

After a long moment, she chose to compromise, and began extricating herself from bed gingerly.

She stood up, eyes looking anywhere but Broly laid out in bed.

"I uh, I'm gonna go, go get some, y'know. Coffee."

She threw up a hand, pointing towards the kitchen, further illustrating her point. 

"Coffee."

Broly nodded from his spot in bed.

"Okay."

She turned to walk out the door, spinning around to do a half-aborted wave before she walked out of sight.

Broly laid there, blinking confusedly at the doorway Cheelai had dissapeared through.

* * *

The sun beat down on Broly from his spot outside, his hand coming up to shield his eyes as he looked off into the empty distance. 

The sounds of metallic clanging and the occasional frustrated curse caught his attention.

He walked over to the opened hatch of Lemo and Cheelai's ship, peeking inside.

Lemo was bent down under the control console, only his lower half visible.

"Can you fix it?"

What was visible of Lemo jerked when Broly spoke, and the distinct sound of skull clanging on metal rang out.

"Agh ow!"

The small-statured alien crawled out from underneath the console, rubbing at a slightly discolored mark on his head and looking vaguely annoyed.

"Unfortunately, no. I don't have the tool I'd need to get the control panel fixed with me."

Lemo pulled his gloves off, eyeing the console in thought.

"Though...your dad wrecked his ship when he landed, so it should still be in the same place we saw it last. Its tool-kit would be pretty dated after all these years, but I bet it'll have what I need. Can you take me to it?"

At the mention of his father, Broly hesitated, though only for a moment.

"Yes, I can."

"Great, let's go ahead and get it now."

Lemo hopped down out of the ship, walking alongside the saiyan.

"I'd rather have the ship fixed sooner rather than later, just in case we need to make a quick exit. There is a galactic warlord who I can't imagine is too happy that we screwed him over out there, after all..."

"That is true."

Broly reached down and curled an arm around Lemo, lifting him off his feet.

"Whoa, hey! What are you doi- Ahhhh!!!"

The saiyan blasted off into the air, a thick dust-cloud swirling as the crack of the sound barrier being broken was heard.

* * *

Broly landed near his father's wrecked ship, dropping out of the air quickly and planting onto his feet.

He loosened his grip on Lemo, who staggered after being dropped to the ground.

Broly placed a hand on his shoulder to steady him, concern in his voice.

"Are you alright?"

Lemo shook his head gingerly to try and dispel the dazed feeling in his brain.

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just..never flown that fast before. The sensation of my guts wrapping around my spine was...interesting."

"I am sorry."

"It's okay, really. But maybe uh, give me a little warning next time, yeah?"

Broly nodded apologetically.

"Of course."

"Okay, I'm gonna go get the tool-kit."

Lemo patted Broly on the back, walking over to the shattered window of the ship and stepping inside.

Broly stood, eyes roaming over the extensive damage to the ship as he lost himself in thought.

He could still hazily remember the last time he'd come here, not long after they'd first arrived on Vampa, when two saiyans went into that ship, but only one came out.

He was so young then. What felt like an entire lifetime had passed from that moment to this one.

The sheer amount of change that had ocuured simply since the day he'd met Cheelai and Lemo often boggled his mind.

Part of his brain still expected to see his father step back out of that ship, perpetually grave expression on his face, except for that tiny spark of warmth and pride that showed in his father's eyes whenever he looked at him.

But he wouldn't. His father was gone, and he would never see him again. In between the moments when he was able to forget and the hurt faded away, that knowledge still ate away at his mind sometimes...

"Hey, Broly. Are you okay?"

He hadn't even noticed Lemo step out of the ship, tool-kit in hand. 

"Yes, I'm alright."

Lemo looked him over with searching eyes. He'd seen the raw emotion on his face from whatever thought that had consumed him when he stepped back out of the ship.

"...are you sure?"

Broly stared straight ahead, hand clenched tightly on Baa's fur. After a moment, he finally replied.

"....yes."

Lemo didn't look entirely satisfied by that answer, but he nodded along anyways.

The older man walked up to Broly.

"Okay, well, I've got what we came for, might as well head back."

* * *

Broly cut through the air as he flew, going slower than usual to accommodate the passenger dangling under his arm.

The saiyan kept his eyes on the unchanging, unforgiving landscape as he moved. To anyone else, finding their way around a barren planet with no real landmarks might've been a challenge, but after decades spent on it, he knew every inch of Vampa.

He slowed his speed suddenly as a familiar sensation rolled up the back of his neck.

Lemo shouted above the high-wind speed blowing past them.

"Are we almost there?!"

"Yes! But Kakarot is here.."

After a few moments, Broly slowed even more as the cave and the area surrounding it came into view, Goku's bright orange Gi visible from a distance.

Broly came to a stop as his feet touched the ground, setting Lemo down gently as Cheelai and Goku walked closer.

The saiyan from earth waved with a smile.

"Heya, guys! Cheelai and I were just wondering where you two had disappeared to."

Lemo raised the tool-kit in his hand.

"We went to go get some tools so we can fix our ship."

Goku tapped his chin.

"Ahh yeah, maintenance on these ships can get tricky..."

Lemo leaned over, speaking a little more quietly as Goku chatted to his fellow saiyan.

"Sorry, Cheelai. He and I ended up leaving to get these tools, uh..._fast._"

She waved it off with a smirk.

"That's fine, I figured you two had your attention caught by something and blasted off without a second thought."

"Pretty much..."

Broly eyed Goku carefully and hesitated slightly before speaking.

"Did you..want to train?"

"Agh, I'd love to, but I promised Chi-Chi that I'd be back soon."

Goku clapped Broly on the shoulder and gave him a wide grin.

"We'll train next time, though. Definitely."

Broly returned it with a pleased smile, relief settling into his chest.

Goku turned to face all three of them.

"Anyways, I just wanted to drop by with some supplies and make sure you guys had everything you needed."

Goku folded his arms with a thoughtful expression, eyebrows raising and snapping his fingers after a moment.

"Oh yeah! That reminds me; my friend Bulma is having a get-together in a few days and we wanted to invite you all to come."

Cheelai's face scrunched up in suspicion and disbelief.

"A...party? Seriously?"

Goku's hair flattened as he ran his fingers through it, though it snapped back into its usual position quickly.

"Yeah! You guys would be more than welcome, and I know a few folks back home who would love to meet you three."

Cheelai kept her eyes narrowed at Goku, still not sold on the idea.

Lemo rubbed at the back of his neck.

"Well, it would be nice to get out of the...deadly-creature infested planet for a little while. There's not exactly much that fits the bill for scenery around here.."

Cheelai drug the tip of her boot through the dirt and pebbles, casting a glance around the Vampa surface.

"No kidding...and I would enjoy having a properly cooked meal for once..."

"Exac- hey! I may have done a little bit roughly at the start, but I think I've evolved into a damn fine cook."

She chuckled to herself at Lemo's offended squawk, looking over at Broly.

"Well, what do you think, big guy?"

Broly contemplated for a short moment.

"I want to go."

Cheelai looked slightly surprised, but pleased.

"Alright then, I guess that settles it. We'll come to this party of yours."

Goku grinned.

"Awesome. I'll come back by in a few days to pick you guys up. Sound good?"

Cheelai wasn't sure how good of an idea this actually was, but she found that the thought of a little excitement, for all of them, was simply irresistible.

"Sure thing. We'll be ready."

Goku nodded, placing his fingers to his forehead.

"See ya then."

The earth saiyan's body distorted and then dissapeared from sight.

Cheelai looked over to Broly and Lemo with a smile, mockingly mouthing _"see ya then" _after a moment.

Lemo chuckled.

"You still don't trust him, huh?"

"I mean...look, that guy is just so weird sometimes."

Lemo raised an eyebrow and gestured to the three of them.

"Are we really in a position to comment on anyone's weirdness levels?"

Cheelai rolled her eyes.

"Pffft, we're way more normal than those guys."

Lemo looked unconvinced.

"Mmhmm."

Broly spoke up again.

"I think we can trust Kakarot. He seems like...a good person."

Cheelai made eye contact with the saiyan, tempted to smile at the serious, earnest expression on his face.

She sighed softly.

"Okay, I trust your instincts, Broly. So for now...we'll trust him."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Agh, sorry. I had massive writers block with this chapter, and getting it written was a fight. On the bright side, I feel like writing the next few chapters should be easier, and I'm gonna try and make sure there's not another several-month wait between chapters for y'all 😅😊P.S I loved writing the romance in here between soft, sweet Broly and smol green-bean Cheelai. Expect more.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first time posting something I've written, so I know this chapter is probably pretty rough around the edges. But I desperately want to improve. So I will gladly take any advice or tips that will help me to become a better writer. If you have feedback, I'd love to hear it. I'm not sure if anybody besides me is interested in reading a Broly centric story, and if that is the case, I may devote my time to writing something else. Bardock? Trunks? Something in a different fandom? Naruto? My Hero Academia? South Park? Hannibal? The Walking Dead? Game Of Thrones? Harry Potter? MCU? Crossover? Time travel? Explicitly detailed kinky sex? Something in demand nobody has done before? I don't know. Tell me what you think. I love to talk about all things pop culture. You can find me on Tumblr under the same name. Thank you for reading! (I seriously have no idea what I'm doing. Someone help. Please.)


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